- Jan 10, 2013
- 14
- 0
- 22
We have almost completed our first hatch, and I"d like to know your thoughts so I can make any needed improvements/changes for next time. Here's the process I used:
I have a Hova-Bator with wafer thermostat, circulating fan, egg turner, and analog thermometer. After talking to a several very experienced hatchers using this incubator, they counseled that I NOT use any extra thermometers or measuring devices due to the fact it would only confuse me. They basically said "Get to know your bator and thermometer. If thermometer reads 99 the whole incubation, but eggs hatch a day early, then you need to make 97-98 next time. If eggs hatch a day late, then make it 100-101 next time." Seemed easy enough.
OK, so we put eggs in, and they had been stored at room temp 3 days or less. I filled trough #1 per instructions, and set heat at the 99.5 mark. We candled at 5 days, and 2 were infertile, and 1 had the red ring. I discarded those 3. That left 18 in the bator. I marked a few I wasn't sure about. I candled again at day 10, and all seemed to be developing and we could see movement. I candled again around day 18, and could clearly see enlarged air sacs. At day 19, I pulled out the egg turner, filled trough #1 and #2, and put them in lock down. I noticed the temp dropped by about 2 degrees, so I made a little adjustment to the thermostat. Early the morning of day 20, one chick hatched, but was weak and couldn't stay upright. He peeped a LOT, but would not stay off his back. No other eggs had pipped by that afternoon, so I quickly pulled him out and put him in the brooder. He died later. By the morning of day 21, 2 eggs had pipped. Throughout the day, others pipped. The second chick hatched mid-afternoon of day 21, followed by another hatch roughly ever 2-3 hours. By midnight day 21, there were 4 chicks. Now, on day 22, we are up to 13 of 18 hatched, and doing seemingly very well. I haven't opened the bator, so all are still in there. Of the remaining 5 eggs, 4 are pipped. I assume the 5th is dead. One of the 4 appears to have a dead chick body pressed up against the pip hole. 2 of the 4 still show life inside the pip hole. I can't tell with the 5th, as it's at a bad angle.
So, I am assuming that is a pretty good hatch for a first timer (70% with 13 out of 18). Only 4 hatched on day 21, though, so does that mean my temp was too low? Is it typical for them to hatch so sporadically every few hours? Any other recommendations for next hatch? Finally, regarding this current hatch, how long should I wait before giving up on the 2 showing life inside? Some of the chicks in the bator are going on 24 hours now.
Thanks in advance.
I have a Hova-Bator with wafer thermostat, circulating fan, egg turner, and analog thermometer. After talking to a several very experienced hatchers using this incubator, they counseled that I NOT use any extra thermometers or measuring devices due to the fact it would only confuse me. They basically said "Get to know your bator and thermometer. If thermometer reads 99 the whole incubation, but eggs hatch a day early, then you need to make 97-98 next time. If eggs hatch a day late, then make it 100-101 next time." Seemed easy enough.
OK, so we put eggs in, and they had been stored at room temp 3 days or less. I filled trough #1 per instructions, and set heat at the 99.5 mark. We candled at 5 days, and 2 were infertile, and 1 had the red ring. I discarded those 3. That left 18 in the bator. I marked a few I wasn't sure about. I candled again at day 10, and all seemed to be developing and we could see movement. I candled again around day 18, and could clearly see enlarged air sacs. At day 19, I pulled out the egg turner, filled trough #1 and #2, and put them in lock down. I noticed the temp dropped by about 2 degrees, so I made a little adjustment to the thermostat. Early the morning of day 20, one chick hatched, but was weak and couldn't stay upright. He peeped a LOT, but would not stay off his back. No other eggs had pipped by that afternoon, so I quickly pulled him out and put him in the brooder. He died later. By the morning of day 21, 2 eggs had pipped. Throughout the day, others pipped. The second chick hatched mid-afternoon of day 21, followed by another hatch roughly ever 2-3 hours. By midnight day 21, there were 4 chicks. Now, on day 22, we are up to 13 of 18 hatched, and doing seemingly very well. I haven't opened the bator, so all are still in there. Of the remaining 5 eggs, 4 are pipped. I assume the 5th is dead. One of the 4 appears to have a dead chick body pressed up against the pip hole. 2 of the 4 still show life inside the pip hole. I can't tell with the 5th, as it's at a bad angle.
So, I am assuming that is a pretty good hatch for a first timer (70% with 13 out of 18). Only 4 hatched on day 21, though, so does that mean my temp was too low? Is it typical for them to hatch so sporadically every few hours? Any other recommendations for next hatch? Finally, regarding this current hatch, how long should I wait before giving up on the 2 showing life inside? Some of the chicks in the bator are going on 24 hours now.
Thanks in advance.
